Shutoff valve integrated into a pressure regulator

• US 8,851,107 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rotarex SA
• Original Assignee: Luxembourg Patent Company S.A. (Rotarex SA)
• Inventors: Risse, Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAHILL, JESSICA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/667,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20120085445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 137/506, 137/509, 137/510, 137/628, 137/630.17, 137/630.19, 137/630.22, 137/505.12, 137/505.21, 137/505.26, 137/505.29, 137/505.3, 137/505.34, 137/505.36, 137/505.39, 137/505.37, 137/505.42, 137/505.45
• US Class Current: 137/505.12
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/443 the seats being in series
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/145 the fluid acting on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/06 the sensing element being a flexible membrane, yielding to pressure, e.g. diaphragm, bellows, capsule
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/0663 using a spring-loaded membrane with a spring-loaded slideable obturator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7795 Multi-stage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7826 With valve closing bias
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7832 Plural valves biased closed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87016 Lost motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87096 Valves with separate, correlated, actuators

Abstract

A gas releasing and/or regulating mechanism is equipped with a body (1) with a passage, a gas intake (2) and outlet (3), the intake and outlet being connected to the passage; elements to block (5, 6, 7, 8) the passage; mobile elements (9) which associated to the body (1) of the mechanism, define a low pressure chamber (11) below the blocking elements (5, 6, 7, 8), the mobile elements (9) operating the blocking elements (5, 6, 7, 8) depending on the pressure within the low pressure chamber (11). The blocking elements (5, 6, 7, 8) are made of a first shutter (5, 6) and a second shutter (7, 8) below the first in the passage; and the first and second shutters (5, 6, 7, 8) are mechanically connected so that the first shutter (5, 6) closes before the second one (7, 8).

Claims

1. A gas regulating mechanism, comprising:

a body having a passage, an intake, and an outlet, the intake and outlet being connected to the passage;

a first shutter disposed in the passage, the first shutter having a first shutter element and a first seat;

a second shutter disposed in the passage downstream of the first shutter, the second shutter having a second shutter element and a second seat; and

a mobile element defining with the body a low pressure chamber downstream of the first shutter and the second shutter, and linked to the second shutter element;

a first spring in the low pressure chamber and acting on the mobile element for pushing the second shutter element toward the second seat in the direction of gas flow from the intake to the outlet, so as to close the passage, the low pressure chamber being configured such that the first spring surrounds the second shutter element and the second seat;

wherein the mobile element controls the first shutter and the second shutter dependent upon the pressure within the low pressure chamber, the first shutter and the second shutter being mechanically connected so that the first shutter closes before the second shutter.

2. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first seat is fixed to the body and the second seat is fixed to the body.

3. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second spring pushing the first shutter element toward the first seat in the normal direction of gas flow, so as to close the passage.

4. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a bottom of the low pressure chamber forms a circular recess housing the first spring.

5. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first shutter element is designed so that a second spring pushes it towards its seat in the normal direction of gas flow in order to close the passage, and is mechanically linked to the second shutter element by a mechanical end stop so that the second shutter element pushes the first shutter element when opening occurs and there is a tittle play in the mechanical link between the two shutters when both shutters are closed.

6. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 5, wherein there is a play in the mechanical connection between the first shutter element and the second shutter element when both first and second shutters are closed.

7. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the low-pressure chamber comprises a raised central portion extending from a bottom of said chamber, said raised central portion housing the second shutter element and the second seat.

8. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the raised central portion comprises a cap retaining the second seat in the central portion, the second shutter element being linked to the mobile element through a passage in the cap.

9. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first shutter element and the first seat are conical in shape so as to mate with each other to form an air tight seal, the first shutter element having a first elongated portion that extends through the first seat.

10. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the first elongated portion cooperates with the second shutter element.

11. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the second shutter element and the second seat are conical in shape so as to mate with each other to form an air tight seal, the second shutter element having a second elongated portion that extends through the second seat.

12. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the second shutter element includes a cavity for receiving the first elongated portion, thereby transmitting the opening movement of the second shutter from the membrane to the first shutter element.

13. The gas regulating mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the first elongated portion is only partially disposed within the cavity when both the first shutter and the second shutter are closed.